Progress toward a convention center in Russellville is underway once again after the recession of 2007 put the project on hold.

A 2003 feasibility study led to the city’s purchase of a 22-acre site for a proposed hotel and convention center. A contract with developer John Q. Hammons fell through in 2009, effectively halting the project. Now, the project has begun moving forward again.

An updated study to determine the feasibility of the project was completed in January by Chicago-based Johnson Consulting. The completed report stated “Russellville is ideally located to prosper in the tourism and convention markets.”

The study listed several characteristics that make Russellville an ideal location for such a facility, including the lack of convention and meeting space in the area, easy access to the proposed convention center site, presence of major corporations and strategic location along I-40.

“These factors, along with many others, provide a case for the development of a hotel and convention center on the subject site,” the report stated. “Johnson Consulting is of the opinion that the proposed facility, if targeted and marketed appropriately, has the potential to become a real focal point in the community.”

Johnson Consulting recommended a facility with a 200-bed hotel and a convention center with 15,000 square feet of flexible space for exhibit or ballroom space, and 6,000 square feet of meeting space.

In March, Chamber of Commerce president Jeff Pipkin told city leaders a request for qualifications (RFQ) was issued to help identify viable developers. The next step will be a request for proposal (RFP), which Pipkin said should be sent out this week. He said the list of potential developers has been narrowed down to four, and each of those will be asked to submit a full proposal.

“I feel fairly confident that we’re going to be able to get a project going this calendar year,” he said, acknowledging the difficulty in predicting such things. “It’s just encouraging that we’ve got developers interested in it. We went three or four years where nobody would talk to us because of the economy.”

The convention center will be privately owned and operated, though the Johnson Consulting report indicated some financial assistance may be needed.

“We do expect some finance support to still be required,” the report stated. “But since the land is banked and paid for, and excess land exists for commercial development, it is expected that finance tools applied to the site could fund any capital and operating needs of the project.”

Hmmm, why do I suspect the tax increase that was passed to support this project is about to expire? Perhaps our city council (mayor) would like to publicly show us where that money is and how much has been spent and why it has been spent! I say no to any new tax or extension on this tax until we see in writing that it will not be used for any other reason than to build a convention center, even if we really don't need a new convention (fishing) center!